Gheralta , northwest of Mekele, capital of Tigrai Regional State, is the home of a quarter of the rock -hewn churches of Tigrai. Some are famous for their stone workmanship, ancient paintings, and old manuscripts, and others for their magnificent views and difficult ascents. Such great churches as Abune Yemata (Guh), Mariam Korkor, DebreTsion (Abune Abraham), Yohannes Maekuddi, Abune Gebre Michael, and Selassie Degum are in the very heart of Gheralta.
The scenery of Gheralta is spectacular. The views of the graceful Mount Gheralta and the far-reaching Hawzien Plain are a rare combination of extraordinary beauty. Gheralta can now be approached from the town of Wukro 47km north of Mekele along the main highway, from Senkata by traveling 24km north, or by traveling southwest from Adigrat. The important points in the area, AbrahaAtsbaha, Degum, Megab, Mariam Bahra, and Bet YesusGuahgot, are now all connected by a new road, and inaccessibility seems a thing of the past.
The main reason to travel to the Gheralta region is its churches. All are hidden in the sides of fantastically shaped mountains. The churches are frequently decorated with beautiful, old paintings, and the often challenging journey is worth the experience itself. The remote location and the rarified air inside the churches, really leads the mind and senses far away from the hustle and bustle of life.